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Coven of the Eight
The Coven of the Eight is a group of characters featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time. It first appears in the twenty-first episode of the sixth season. History Looking to fill an empty slot in the coven, Gothel shows interest in Drizella's plan to cast the Dark Curse and invites her and several other young witches to compete, lying about there being two slots available. One of the prospective members is Gretel, who teams up with Drizella in the supposed challenge of finding golden flowers hidden throughout the forest. However, once they split up, Gothel approaches both of them and tells them that they must kill the other to secure their spot. Drizella does not want to kill her new friend and begs Gretel to run away with her, but Gretel wants to be a part of Gothel's family and leaves Drizella no choice but to kill her in self-defense. As Drizella mourns, Gothel welcomes her into the Coven. After Drizella gives the heroes a prophecy of the Dark Curse being cast in eight years, the heroes thwart her plans by turning her into a statue. In an attempt to return Madame Leota to her physical form, Gothel manipulates Robin Hood, an aspiring witch and the daughter of Zelena, into believing she will be a part of the coven. However, Gothel actually intends on sacrificing Robin's life for Leota's using the Resurrection Amulet. When Zelena attempts to take her place, Robin uses her burgeoning archery skills to stop the ritual, and Gothel and Leota flee. Eight years later, Gothel invites Zelena to join the coven by leaving her a token of the coven, but Zelena does not accept the invitation. As the heroes are celebrating the eighth birthday of Lucy, Gothel and the Coven of the Eight interrupt and free Drizella, whom she offers to aid with enacting the curse, before teleporting away with her. Sometime after this, the coven kidnap Henry and poison him, ensuring he will die unless he goes to a Land Without Magic. Gothel joins Drizella and other coven witches at a summoning altar, where they have Henry cloaked and bound in the center of it. Rapunzel tries to warn Drizella about the fact Gothel is only using her for her own gain, but Drizella ignores her advice and knocks her out. Regina and Zelena show up with their allies ambush the other witches, with Hook holding Gothel as a hostage, however, Hook lets her go on Regina's orders when Drizella reveals she intends for Regina to cast the curse. Gothel then reveals Henry to Regina as Drizella explains the necessity that Regina cast the curse; both to save Henry's life and because the final curse ingredient has to be magic from a witch who crushed the heart of the thing she loved most. Once the curse is enacted, Gothel is swept away to Hyperion Heights along with everyone else in the land. }} Although it did not actually happen, Tilly has cursed memories of the coven taking away her father, who is killed by them. The Blind Witch becomes known as a baker named Hilda Braeburn, while the Hedge Witch becomes a doctor named Andrea Sage. After Victoria Belfrey wakes up her daughter, Anastasia, which causes Lucy to fall into a coma, Doctor Sage becomes in charge of the case. Meanwhile, Eloise recruits Anastasia to join the coven after she gives Ivy's magic to her while kicking Ivy out of the group. Doctor Sage continues to search for the cause for Lucy's coma, leading her to take blood samples from her mother Jacinda Vidrio, her legal father Nick Branson and Henry, which helps her discover that Henry is Lucy's real father. As she reviews this information, she takes a sip of her drink, only realizing afterward that it was poisoned, causing her to have a sudden death. Nick, secretly awake and seeking revenge on the witches who ruined his life and killed his sister Gretel, slips into Doctor Sage's office to take the papers and a lock of her hair, all the while wearing gloves to avoid leaving behind fingerprints. Nick continues his witch hunt by attacking Hilda, but she is saved by Detectives Weaver and Rogers. However, while she recovers at the hospital, Nick attacks her a second time and successfully kills her. Tilly is found in the hospital with a bloody scalpel and Hilda's body by Rogers and Weaver and flees before they can question her. When they check the shipping container she lives in, they find a drawing of the coven symbol with two ends crossed out, further incriminating her. Furthermore, the locks of hair taken from the witches' bodies are found in her backpacks. However, footage from the security camera in the Fremont Troll shows her passing it at the time of Hilda's death, proving she was framed. Anastasia somehow escapes Gothel's clutches and is found by Ivy, unaware that Ivy has been fooled by Mr. Samdi into trying to kill her. When Anastasia finds out, she is encouraged by Gothel to kill Ivy, but Ivy realizes her wrongdoings and begs Anastasia not to give up her Guardian powers. When Anastasia sides with Ivy, Gothel flees and the two girls are able to leave the realm with a magic bean, which also allows Ivy to escape the clutches of the Candy Killer, who no longer has the means to go after her. Eventually, Gothel decides that it is time to reunite the coven. She comes to the police station and places a spell on the Desk Sergeant, Samuel, ordering him to find and awaken the coven. The Desk Sergeant tracks down and awakens Seraphina, Madame Leota, and the other witch, and also retrieves replacement witches for the Blind Witch, the Hedge Witch, and Drizella. He brings the coven members to the lower level of the movie theater, where Gothel's home used to be located, and reunites the coven with Gothel, who is ecstatic to see them. As Tilly and Rogers come to stop, the coven subdued them and takes them below. Gothel reveals Tilly's parentage and initiates her into the coven by threatening Rogers' life. With Tilly now in the coven, they all join forces to enact a spell to bring magic to Hyperion Heights and wipe out humanity permanently. While Gothel attempts to get Roni to join their side again, Tilly, Seraphina, Madame Leota, the other witch, and the three replacement witches remain underground and recite incantations to continue the ritual. Suddenly, the blonde witch emits light from her body and erupts, before turning into a tree. Rogers is confused by what has happened to her, but Samuel explains that once the witches' tasks are completed, they will be gifted new lives as trees. Rogers tries to get Tilly to leave, but she is completely under the coven's spell, leading him to recruit Margot and Weaver to help. They return down below and Margot tries to reason with Tilly to leave, only for her to minimize their size. From below, they watch as Madame Leota, the other three witches, and finally Seraphina also turn into trees. Meanwhile, Gothel and Regina battle in the garden, resulting in Regina being knocked unconscious. Henry comes to her aid and kisses her on the forehead, leading to the curse finally being broken. }} }} Known Members Trivia On-Screen Notes= On-Screen Notes *Many Coven of the Eight members have a cursed name referencing plants: **Eloise Gardener's name comes from the word "gardener", which refers to a person who tends and cultivates a garden as a pastime or for a living.https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/gardener This is a not so subtle reference to Gothel's secret garden and phytokinetic abilities. Eloise Gardener", "One Little Tear")}} **Ivy Belfrey's name is a reference to the ivy plant, which has to cling to something else, like trees or buildings, in order to survive; much like Drizella/Ivy does to her sister, then her mother, and then Eloise Gardener. Victoria makes a reference to this in "Eloise Gardener", where she compares Ivy to the plant and says that in order for it to grow, it has to cling to something else. **Doctor Sage's name comes from one sage species, white sage, which is often used in smudging and other ceremonies to purify the body. Smudge sticks made of white sage are often found in New Age shops and kits marketed to modern magical practitioners.http://www.witchipedia.com/herb:sage **Hilda Braeburn's name comes from the word "braeburn", which is a cultivar of apple. |-| Set Notes= Props Notes *The Coven's symbolFile:710CovenSymbol.png File:710SymbolOnCoin.png bears striking similarities to: **The vegvísir, a magical stave from Nordic folklore. The vegvísir is intended to help the bearer find their way through rough weather. **The Helm of Awe, from Nordic Folkore.https://norse-mythology.org/symbols/helm-of-awe/ The Helm of Awe is intended to confer invincibility in the wearer or instill fear in ones enemies.http://symboldictionary.net/?p=730 **Eight algiz runes combined. The algiz rune (ᛉ, which equals Z) is Elder Futhark for 'elk'. An elk symbolizes strength and stamina.https://dreamingandsleeping.com/elk-spirit-animal-symbolism-and-meaning/ **The symbol also represents Sam Ochotta's tattoo.File:710CovenSymbol.png File:710SymbolOnCoin.png Appearances References Category:Female Characters Category:New Enchanted Forest Characters Category:Season Six Characters Category:Season Seven Characters Category:Once Upon a Time Characters Category:Seattle Characters Category:Coven of the Eight Members Category:Oz Characters Category:Land Without Magic Characters